Universities cover delayed student grants

But some community colleges do not

The University of California has borrowed $189 million to front financial aid to low-income students this fall.

California State University campuses are digging into their diminished reserves to do the same thing for their recipients of the state’s need-based Cal Grants, which have been held up by the Legislature’s budget stalemate.

The grants are being covered for more than 17,000 students at University of California San Diego, San Diego State University and California State University San Marcos.

While the state’s public university systems are shielding their students from financial hardship, about two-thirds of California community college districts do not have the means to temporarily offset the loss of state funding, leaving some of their students scrambling to support themselves.

“We’re deeply concerned for our many Cal Grant students,” said Paige Marlatt Dorr, spokeswoman for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. “It is the most vulnerable students that receive them. We don’t have hard numbers, but we are hearing from the colleges that this is having a great impact on students. Many of them are looking at not being able to continue.”

The San Diego Community College District and MiraCosta Community College, which serves coastal North County, have committed to fronting Cal Grant money — which is typically used for books, living expenses and transportation — to their students. Like the universities, they will be reimbursed when legislators finally agree on a plan to close a $19 billion deficit and adopt a budget.

“I just got the full amount,” said Joel Espinosa, a 20-year-old student at Mesa College in the San Diego district. “If I didn’t get that Cal Grant money, I would’ve had some problems paying bills. I was a little bit worried.”

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District in East County and Palomar College in North County have not yet decided whether to front the money to their students.

Southwestern College in Chula Vista, with 1,760 students eligible for $1.2 million in annual grants, and Imperial Valley College in Imperial County, with 2,120 students eligible for $1.5 million, will not be able to front funds to their students.

“I need the money to help pay for bills and gasoline, be independent and survive,” said Mitchele ﻿Vasquez, an 18-year-old student at Imperial Valley College. “They leave you no options but to stop going to school and go to work to survive.

“I’m going to try to keep going,” Vasquez said, adding that she will try to pick up more hours at her job. “But we’ll see how far it goes.”

The grants also go to low-income students attending private colleges and for-profit institutions.

The University of San Diego is fronting the money to its Cal Grant recipients. Point Loma Nazarene College is not fronting the full amount, said Pam Macias, director of financial aid, but is working on a case-by-case basis with its 470 Cal Grant recipients to minimize any effect on them.

The cost for the University of California to borrow the $189 million is approximately $11,000 per week, according to Patrick Lenz, the university’s vice president for budget and capital resources.

“So this is manageable up to a point,” he said. “Hopefully the state budget will pass soon.”

Laura Schofield, vice president for external affairs with the Associated Students at San Diego State, said that even with the university fronting the money the anxiety level remains high.

“I receive Cal Grants,” said the 21-year-old criminal justice major. “Without the Cal Grant, I couldn’t go to school. It’s just imperative that I get it. Everyone is really concerned about the Cal Grants and the whole budget mess.”